Karen E. Van Stone

Karen Ellen Van Stone passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, with her daughter by her side. Karen’s smile was contagious, and her generous spirit was felt widely within her family and broader community.

Karen was the second of three children born to Benjamin Brage Middleton and Ellen Elizabeth Middleton on Jan. 12, 1945, at Hauser Lake, Mont., where she remembers the family home having a party phone line and the winters being bitter cold. Karen attended elementary and junior high in the mining town of Anaconda, Mont., before the family moved to the “big city” of Spokane, where she graduated from Central Valley High School in 1963. She met Gary Alan Frensdorf in 1964 while attending North Idaho Junior College in Coeur d’Alene. They married in 1966 before relocating to exotic Puerto Rico for Gary’s Naval assignment. Her daughter Shelley was born in Puerto Rico in 1969 in a San Juan Naval hospital. Karen and Gary moved to Walla Walla, where son Eric was born in 1974. The couple divorced in 1976.

Karen and Bud Rex Van Stone met in 1977 when both were working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla. Bud asked Karen to accompany him to a Christmas party she was organizing. Karen was nervous about Bud’s dancing ability, and she practiced dance moves in her parent’s basement with her mother prior to the date. The couple were married in 1978, combining two families — Shelley and Eric and Bud’s three sons — Mike, Fritz and Jon. The combined family lived in Lewiston, from their marriage until Karen’s passing.

Karen attended Lewis-Clark State College while helping raise five children. She graduated with a degree in Business Education and went on to serve as an instructor in the Transitional Studies Department at Walla Walla Community College Clarkston Center. Her students recognized her role as an educational anchor, providing the academic coaching and confidence necessary for adult learners to complete their certification programs. It was not uncommon for Karen to be recognized and greeted around town by her former students, and this gave her great joy. She fondly remembered a particular student who began at WWCC with a fifth grade reading level but worked diligently to graduate college, with Karen’s assistance. Students who demonstrated resiliency through adversity were often Karen’s favorites. Additionally, Karen volunteered at the Nez Perce Country Historical Museum and later worked at the Asotin County Library until the COVID-19 pandemic. Karen was also active in PEO, the Philanthropic Education Organization dedicated to helping educate and celebrate women, and she enjoyed serving in the Lewiston Tsceminicum Club, which is dedicated to literacy. Education was a theme throughout Karen’s lifetime.

Karen loved good books, fresh cut flowers from her garden, dogs and celebrating holidays and special occasions. She strived to make her home and surroundings beautiful, and her attention to detail was exquisite, particularly when it came to flower arranging and shopping for a special gift. Karen’s gift-giving talents were second to none, and she held a particular fondness for sparkly objects and accents. An avid reader, Karen participated in three local book clubs, and she enjoyed keeping their personal neighborhood book box stocked. Karen was also active in the Lewiston Congregational Presbyterian Church.

One of Karen’s favorite pastimes was spending time at the family cabin in Wise River, Mont., a spot that held memories of family gatherings and family bonding throughout the years. Karen and Bud also enjoyed traveling widely, with Alaska, Hawaii, South Korea, Norway, the U.K. and Kenya among their many trips.

Karen was preceded in death by her siblings, Christina Middleton, of Walla Walla, and David Middleton, of Tekoa, Wash. She is survived by her husband, Bud Rex Van Stone, of Lewiston, sons Mike Van Stone, Fritz Van Stone, Jon Van Stone and Eric Frensdorf, and her daughter, Shelley McEuen, along with seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will take place from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Williams Conference Center on the campus of Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.

Donations may be made to a newly-created Karen Van Stone Memorial Scholarship at Lewis-Clark State College. The scholarship has been created to assist in funding a student with financial hardship.